Cobia 277 CC: Center-Console Superhero

When it comes to building top-notch fishing boats, Maverick Boat Company’s Cobia brand is among the best in the game. And the builder has been busy lately, introducing a slew of new center-console models over the last two years, including the Cobia 277 CC.

Aside from wanting to add another great offshore fishing boat to the stable, Cobia also conceived and built the 277 CC to fill a sort of hole in its lineup. Before the 277 CC came to be, folks were telling the builder that the Cobia 296 CC was too big for near-shore and coastal work, while the 256 CC was too small for the same tasks. With those comments in mind, Cobia sets the wheels in motion for a new 27-footer, the Cobia 277 CC.

The Cobia 277 CC has the goods to go the distance—both inshore and offshore. All photos courtesy of Maverick Boat Company.

I recently ran the 277 CC in and around Stuart, FL. Stuart just happens to provide the exact type of watery landscape the 277 CC was designed for: calm coastal bays chock full of snook, jack crevalle, and permit, and choppy offshore waters teeming with sailfish, cobia, and wahoo.

From the outside you can tell the 277 CC shares a lot of DNA with its smaller and larger siblings. She’s got a sheer line that rises dramatically to an aggressive bow with plenty of flare. Her entry is steep and piercing, but graceful and elegant to boot. The 277 CC’s hull is a deep-V with 21 degrees of transom deadrise and a 22-inch draft. That draft will keep you from fishing water that’s extra shallow, but it’s not so deep that it will stop you from angling around most coastal bays. That 21-degree deadrise provides clues to this boat’s offshore capabilities, and that’s just where we headed the day I ran the boat.

You’ll find more than a few fishing features packed into the Cobia 277 CC. We really liked these pullout tackle drawers and organizers built right into the helm seating.

My light blue test craft came with twin 200-horsepower Yamaha F200 four-stroke outboards that pushed us toward the inlet across Indian River Lagoon at around 50 mph. I think most folks will cruise the 277 CC between 30 and 35 mph, a range that gives the best fuel economy — around 13 to 14 gph. Twin Yamaha F250 outboards are an option for you speed demons out there.

We punched our way out of the inlet through a vigorous four- to five-foot chop stirred up by an east wind pushing against an outgoing tide. The 277 CC handled these conditions with ease, evidenced by the fact that we only throttled back to 40 mph to shoot the inlet. Once offshore we made use of the copious fishing features aboard to target sailfish that were on the hunt in the Gulf Stream.

The 277 CC has a pair of 47-gallon insulated fish boxes with macerated discharges, and a nicely built 42-gallon insulated livewell in the top of the transom, where it’s easy to access. There’s also rod stowage everywhere, with space for six rods under the port and starboard gunwales, eight deck-mounted holders, and rocket launchers on the hardtop and console seating. There’s also a set of tackle boxes and drawers built in to the cockpit side of the dual helm seats.

Unfortunately the fish were craftier than we were that afternoon, but as the wind lay down and we headed back to shore I had the opportunity to check out some of the creature comforts aboard. On deck this Cobia has lots of high-quality, stainless-steel deck fittings, hatches that operate with precision, and plenty of convertible seating, both in the cockpit and up forward. With six of us aboard, the 277 CC never felt cramped and everyone had a place to sit and relax.

This clever table is electrically operated. It lowers to form a large casting platform, or even lower to hide completely away in the deck.

The Cobia 277 CC’s large console not only has room for lots of electronics goodies, but there’s room for an enclosed head below it.

I was happy to see a feature on the Cobia 277 CC that I originally fell in love with on the company’s 344 CC model. It’s an electrically operated bow table that lowers all the way down flush with the deck, rises to form a large casting platform, or rises even farther to create a sizeable dining table. It’s a nice convertibility feature that allows the 277 CC to serve as an entertaining platform or serious fishing machine with the push of a button. Like many center-console boats on the market these days, the 277 CC has an enclosed head under the console, which is handy when you have a mess of anglers aboard and nature calls. I know our female guests appreciated it throughout our fishing excursion offshore—they even told me so as we pulled into the dock.

The 277 CC does a number of things well. It’s not only ultimately fishable, having qualities that allow it to perform both offshore and inshore, but it also has enough creature comforts to keep friends and family happy . Whether your angling takes you into coastal bays or out in the Gulf Stream, the Cobia 277 CC is definitely worth a look. For more information, visit Cobia.

Comments

Thanks for sharing this beautiful piece of watercraft. It’s a bit out of my personal price range, but I can still dream of owning a boat like this someday. The pure white look lends itself well to a higher-end boat, and I’d love to go after some sailfish on one someday. Great review.